Transporting platform



Feb. 14, 1933. T. P. WYMAN, JR

TRANSPORTING PLATFORM Filed Oct. 8, 1930 im/emor 7.7? Wymcm Jr /6Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES .PATENQI OFFICE THOMAS P. 'WYMAN,JR OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY,INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORKTRANSPORTING- ILATNRM Application filed October 8,

This invention relates to a transporting platform, and moreparticularlyto a portable platform upon which material may be stackedand secured for shipment.

An object of this invention is to prov de a simple and durable materialtransporting platform.

In accordance with this object one embodiment of the invention comprisesan annular, 10 radially corrugated, metal-disc for supporting rolls ofmaterial, such as metal tape, wherein each roll has an axial apertureformed at its center. The disc is'supportedabove the floor by metalskids or runners secured to the underside of the disc so that a lifttruck or other transporting means may readily engage the platform. Afrusto-conical hollow metal thimble is secured to the center of the discand extends upwardly therefrom to engage the aperture at the center ofa. roll of material, and where a plurality of rolls are stacked on thedisc, securing bands may be passed through the thimble and around thematerial and disc to secure the rolls to the disc.

A clear understanding of the invention will be had from the followingdescription of one specific embodiment thereof as illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, whereso in Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, plan view ofthe platform Fig. 2 is an elevational side view of the platform showingin broken lines a number of rolls of material strapped thereon, and

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the manner of forming a sheet of metalinto one of the skids of the platform.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals designatesimilar parts throughout the several views, there is disclosed ahorizontally disposed annular corrugated metal disc designated generallyby the numeral 5, which disc maybe corrugated in any well known mannerby pressinga fiat annular sheet of metal to form radially extendingdepressed and elevated portions 6- and 7 respectively, these corrugatedportions being wider at the circumference of the disc 59 than at theaperture in the center thereof.

1930. Serial No. 487,136.

A frusto-conical metal thimble 8 is positioned within the centralaperture of the disc 5 and welded at the locations 9 (Fig. 1) to thedepressed corrugated portions. 6.

A pair of parallel skids 10 tapered at their ends are welded along thelines 11-11 to the depressed portions 6 for supporting the disc 5 abovethe floor-or surface upon which the platform is to rest. The skids 10may be formed of sheet metal in any well known manner but they arepreferably produced -fr0m a blank sheet cut in the shape shown in Fig.3. The sides 1414 of this sheet are turned either upwardly or downwardlyat right angles to the rest of the sheet on the broken lines 15-15, andthe four corners 1616 are then turned inwardly at an angle to the sides1414 on the dotted lines 1717 to make the four edges 1818 exactlycoincide with the two end edges 1919 and the four edges 2020 abutagainst each other upon the broken lines 2121 in which position the endedges of' the four corner portions 16'16 will contact with each otheralong the lines 22-22 at the tips of the wedge shaped ends of the skid10. Thus there will be formed a hollow box-like metal skid with taperedportions at each end as outlined in broken lines in Fig. 3 and alsoshown in Figs. 1 and 2. The various contacting edges 1818 engaging thetransverse edges 1919, the abutting edges 20-20 engaging each other onthe lines 21-21, and the engaging edges 2222 at the tips of the taperedrunner are welded to each other as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thuscompleting the formation of the skid. Each skid 10 is then welded aroundits rim at the locations 1111 to the depressed corrugated portions 66 asmentioned above.

. The material or load 25 to be carried by the above described platformmay consist of any article or articles of annular shape which may bepositioned over the central thimble 8 to keep the material from slidingtransversely of the platform. Bands 26-26 preferably of metal areextended underneath the disc 5 and up through the thimble 8 with theirends bound together at 27-27 to hold the material 25 in position uponthe platform, thus securing the material and platform together as a unitfor transportation and handling.

In the illustrated embodiment, the material 25 consists of rolls ofmetal ta e used for armoring telephone cable, whic rolls are 5 stackedone on top of the other and then strapped onto the platform by the bands26-26 for shipping. Such a platform for handling-the tape rolls 25-25provides an orderly and systematic means for preserving the rolls instacked formation at all times during transportation and while they arebeing handled at their destination, and such loaded platforms may beconveniently positioned one on top of the other to take up a minimumamount of storage space. It will also be apparent that the platform, dueto its being circular, may be readily moved from one location to anotherby positioning it upon its peripheral surface and rolling it. This maybe done either when the platform is empty or is loaded with objects,which necessarily do not have to be circular in shape but should bepositioned inside the periphery of the platform, or rolls of tape of thediameter shown in the drawing, in the latter case the peripheral surfaceof the roll or rolls would engage the floor or other surface along whichthe load is being rolled. The thimble 8 in addition to centering theobjects mounted upon the platform also serves with the bands 2626 toprevent them from moving relatively to the platform when it ispositioned for rolling. After the material has been removed from theplatforms, the empty platforms may be stacked one on top of another bynesting or telescoping the thimbles 8 thereof within each other. and allthe platforms bound together for returning them to the metal tapesuppliers. The platform being made entirely of metal with corrugationsin the disc to provide rigidity and strength is a very durable andrugged structure capable of undergoing severe usage.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been abovedescribed in detail it will of course be understood that the inventionis not to be limited thereto but is to be limited only by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shipping unit comprising an annular corrugated disc for supportinga plurality of stacked annular objects, a hollow metal thimble welded tothe disc and extending upwardly into the central apertures of thesupported annular objects, metal skids welded to the lower side of thedisc, and metal bands extending through the thimble, underneath the discand around the stacked objects for securing them in place.

2. A shipping unit comprising an apertured platform for supporting anapertured object, a tubular member secured to the platform around theaperture thereof and extending upwardly into the aperture of the supported object, and means extendin through the tubular member and thealigne aperture of the platform for securing the object to the platform.

THOMAS P. WYMAN, JR.

